Colin Cross profile picture

Colin Cross

About Me

Colin Cross was born in Brighton,UK on May 2nd 1947, but has been resident in Norwich since 1960. He started writing poetry in the mid 60s and had several poems published and did several readings between then and the early 70s. He also ran Norwich Arts Lab from 1968 to 1970. In 1969 he began an 18 year stint as a freelance rock writer (mainly for the Eastern Evening News) and in 1980 his book "The Encyclopedia of British Beat Groups of the 60s" was published worldwide by Omnibus Press. In the early 80s he supported many of the top local rock groups with poetry readings before forming his own poetry/rock group Colin Cross' Lonely Tarts Club Band in 1985. In 1987 they recorded the album "Hanging Out With The Rough Girls". Then came the rock group The Thirst and in 1990 Colin Cross and the Crack who recorded the album "Deviant Heart" for Dem Illegal Records.In 1993 Colin returned to writing poetry seriously and since then has had over 850 poems, plus some short stories and several black and white paintings/drawings, published in small press and underground magazines throughout the UK, USA and Europe. In 2002 he was reunited with Mark Webster (lead guitarist with the Tarts and the Crack and sometime bassist with THe Thirst) and they started work on what would eventually in 2006 become sinister sisters "nunowotufanci" with the addition of Jenni Simpson on female vocals. Shortly after the release of this Colin recorded the 26 track spoken word poetry CD "Welcome To The Real World Big Hugo",which is available from Cnut Records, 37, Wellington Green, Norwich, NR2 1HG for £2.50 inc. pp UK/$6.00 inc pp USA. Cheques payable to Colin.In 2009 Colin released a further 26 track CD called "Crip Tick and the Bee Levers".This contains poems with music/sound backing by Friends.On various tracks friends are Jack Austin, Mark Webster, Stefano Valori, Albino, Romy Gonzalez, Jenni Simpson and Mr. Skins.Several tracks are available to listen to,and to obtain a copy of the CD send an SAE (+IRCs outside UK to cover postage) to Cnut Records at above address.Listen to other tracks on /sinistersistersuk and studio2five!. Colin Cross' Lonely Tarts Club Band, Colin Cross and the Crack and sinister sister Cds are also available from the same address for £6.00 inc.pp UK/$12.00 inc pp USA. Cheques to Mark Webster. For more details on sinister sisters and to hear tracks check out myspace.com/sinistersistersuk Click view my pics to well view my pics!!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 05/09/2006
Band Website: myspace.com/colincrosspoet
Band Members: Colin Cross poetry, vocals
Influences: Life and circumstances, hopefully viewed with a wry sense of humour. Some work has been compared to that of Charles Bukowki. He also is a fan of the writing of Herbert Huncke, Richard Brautigan and the Liverpool poets of the 1960s.Also the work of singer/songwriters and performers such as Tom Waits, Johnny Dowd, William Elliott Whitmore, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen,Nico and Marianne Faithfull.
Sounds Like: hopefully fairly original and distinctive
Record Label: Cnut Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

local studies

LOCAL STUDIESin my third yearat grammar schoolwe were taughtsomething calledlocal studiesduring whichwe would occasionallybe taken tolocal places of interestall I can rememberabout these tripsis thata...
Posted by on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:44:00 GMT

young people/60s

YOUNG PEOPLEyoung peopleknow everythingolder peopleknow they don't60sguys in their 60swho talk abouttheir livesin the 60son t.v.are the oneswho are supposedto have beenso out of itthey don'tremember t...
Posted by on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:36:00 GMT

rivers and streams

RIVERS AND STREAMSdown by the rivera manstanding against a wallwas making a streamof his own
Posted by on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:28:00 GMT

barbecue

BARBECUEI was standingin the open doorwayleading to the barbecuehaving a quiet smokeand slugging a pintwhen this middle agedcouple walked past meobviously gaspingto fill her facewith dead burnt animal...
Posted by on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:18:00 GMT

last gig

LAST GIGI can rememberthe last gigI ever playedit wasin a local pubit was the nightof the big fightbetweenChris Eubankand Nigel Bennand nobody camethe landlordtried hardnot to pay usbut gave inunder t...
Posted by on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:19:00 GMT

mad aussies shouldn't wear wheelchairs

MAD AUSSIES SHOULDN'T WEAR WHEELCHAIRSa few of uswere having a quiet drinkin the Arts Centre barwaiting for the musicto start in the auditoriumwhen this crazy drunken Aussiewearing a big hatand with a...
Posted by on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:17:00 GMT

sheltered life

SHELTERED LIFEshe had been livingbut a few flatsaway from mefor nearly 7 yearsbefore I was evenaware of her existencewe metwhile we were bothhelping another neighboura lonely but lovelyold ladywho led...
Posted by on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:19:00 GMT

Crip Tick and the Bee Levers

My new cd "Crip Tick and the Bee Levers" is now available.It contains 26 tracks of poetry with music/sound backing by various friends on different tracks. These friends are Jack Austin,Mark Webster,St...
Posted by on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:48:00 GMT

writing

WRITINGwritingis speakingwithoutbeing interrupted
Posted by on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:34:00 GMT

politically colourect

POLITICALLY COLOURECTit is politicallyincorrectfor me to referto my African friendas colouredthe correct termI am toldis "black"yet when peoplecall her blackshe protests"I am not blackI am brown"and n...
Posted by on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:32:00 GMT